Overview
- Acadêmicos de Niterói devoted its elite Sambodrom performance to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, featuring towering effigies and a biographical samba while instructing participants to avoid election gestures.
- Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court declined to preemptively block the show and reiterated that Carnival cannot be used for illegal campaign propaganda, leaving room for penalties such as fines or reduced free broadcast time if violations are found.
- President Lula observed from an honorary box and kept a low profile as several ministers and the first lady skipped appearances to limit legal and political exposure.
- Opposition figures pressed complaints and signaled fresh lawsuits, with Flávio Bolsonaro calling the homage a crime and alleging misuse of public money tied to the event.
- Brazil’s audit court sought explanations about federal support after all samba schools received a combined 12 million reais, while tourism agency Embratur said funding does not influence theme selection; Rio officials expect millions of visitors and major economic activity from Carnival.